Round-up

The best screenshot app for Mac

The best screenshot app for Mac depends on how you work. For occasional captures, the free built-in ⌘⇧5 tool is enough. For scrolling captures, OCR and markup on a budget, ShotScreen or Shottr fit. CleanShot X is the polished pick if you want its cloud, and Snagit suits teams that write documentation. We make ShotScreen, so we also say where the others are the better call.

Which Mac screenshot app for which use?

• macOS ⌘⇧5: free, built in, enough for basic captures and screen recordings.
• ShotScreen: a one-time purchase with scroll capture, OCR, a layered editor and AI that runs on your Mac; the free version allows 5 captures a day.
• Shottr: a small, fast tool with scrolling capture and OCR, free to use with a pay-what-you-want license.
• CleanShot X: a polished all-rounder with cloud sharing, if you accept $35 plus optional yearly update renewals.
• Snagit: documentation and training material, on a yearly subscription.

Criteria	ShotScreen	CleanShot X	Shottr	Snagit	macOS ⌘⇧5
Price	Free: 5 captures/day. Pro €8.99 once	$35 once (1 year of updates, then $19/year optional)	Free to use, pay what you want	€39.56 per year	Free
Scroll capture	Yes (auto + manual)	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
OCR (copy text)	Yes, on-device	Yes, on-device	Yes	Text recognition	No
Markup editor	Full + layers	Full	Text, arrows, blur, steps	Full	Basic
Cloud sharing	Optional (Cloud Plus)	Yes (1 GB on Basic)	Any S3-compatible storage	Screencast	No
Video / GIF	Yes	Yes (MP4 + GIF)	Not listed	Yes	Screen recording

ShotScreen

Best value with on-device AI

A one-time €8.99 app that packs a full markup editor, a 3D perspective tool, auto/manual scroll capture and screen recording. Its standout is on-device AI: background removal, upscaling and OCR run locally with no account and no tracking. A live thumbnail after every capture lets you drag, edit or share instantly.

Choose it if you want the most features for a one-time price and care about privacy.

Buy on Gumroad · SHOTSCREEN20 Mac App Store

CleanShot X

Polished, with hosted cloud

A highly refined app with a clean interface, cloud sharing and a strong all-round toolset. It is sold as a one-time purchase (or via Setapp); the hosted cloud tier is a subscription, and its cloud features rely on server-side processing.

Choose it if you already use Setapp or want its hosted cloud ecosystem.

Shottr

Fast and lightweight

A lean, quick screenshot tool that is free to try with an affordable one-time unlock. It covers scrolling capture, basic OCR and annotation with very low overhead.

Choose it if you want something minimal and fast for everyday screenshots.

Snagit

Powerful, for documentation teams

A long-standing, feature-rich capture and recording tool aimed at professional documentation and training. It has deep editing and templates, sold as an annual subscription.

Choose it if your team produces lots of step-by-step guides and tutorials.

macOS built-in (⌘⇧5)

Free and always there

Apple's built-in Screenshot tool captures areas, windows and screens and records video, with a floating thumbnail. It is free and reliable, but has no scrolling capture, minimal editing and no AI.

Choose it if your needs are basic and you never want to install anything.

Our take

If you want the deepest free built-in tool, macOS ⌘⇧5 is already on your Mac. For a minimal, fast utility, Shottr is great. Teams building documentation will get the most from Snagit, and CleanShot X is a polished pick if you want its hosted cloud ecosystem.

ShotScreen aims at the middle ground most people actually want: one price, no subscription, a full editor, and AI that runs on your own Mac so nothing leaves your machine. If that combination matters to you, it is the easiest one to recommend.

Quick answers